"Robert, you are a regular hero," she observed. "Nobody could have done a braver deed."
"It was not so very much to do," he answered, with a blush. "I simply saw how the girl might be saved, and I set to work to do it."
"But it was no easy matter to catch the girl," went on the lady warmly. "You ran a big risk."
The firemen were now hard at work, and a steady stream of water was being poured on the conflagration1. But the wind had caught the house fairly, and but little could be saved. Soon the men directed their efforts toward saving the adjoining property, and fortunately nothing but the boarding house was consumed.
As soon as the fire was over Mrs. Vernon and our hero set about finding another boarding place. This was an easy matter, for Mrs. Barlow's sister also took boarders. To Mrs. Cabe, therefore, they went, and procured2 rooms which were just as desirable as those which they had formerly3 occupied.
"It's too bad we couldn't save your trunks, Mrs. Vernon," observed Robert, after the boarding place question had been settled. "You've got only what you have on."
"Well, I am no worse off than you, Robert," she answered, with a peculiar4 smile.
"Oh, it doesn't matter so much for a boy."
"I suppose not. Still we both need outfits5, and I shall see to it that we get them as soon as possible."
"There are not many stores in this town--I mean stores of any importance."
"We will take a journey to Oxford6. We can get about all we want there, and it will give you a chance to look at the most celebrated7 English institutions of learning."
"I shall like that."
"You ought to have a college education, Robert. It would prove very useful to you. Not but what I am satisfied with you, however," added the lady hastily.
"I would like to go to Yale or Harvard first-rate."
"Perhaps we will be able to arrange that later." Mrs. Vernon paused for a moment. "Robert, I feel that I owe you a good deal for saving my life."
"You don't owe me anything, Mrs. Vernon. I did no more than my duty."
"I think otherwise. To free myself from pain I took a double dose of my medicine, and I was in an extra heavy sleep when you aroused me. If you had not come I would have slept on until it was too late."
And the lady closed her eyes for a moment and shuddered8.
Taking her jewel case from her bureau drawer, Mrs. Vernon opened it and brought forth9 a neat but costly10 diamond scarf-pin.
"I am going to make you a present of this, Robert," she went on. "It will look very well on the new scarf I am going to purchase you."
"Oh, Mrs. Vernon, it is a diamond pin!"
"So it is, Robert."
"It must be worth a good deal of money."
"It cost me two hundred dollars at one of the leading Chicago jewelers. I don't mind telling you that I got the pin to give to Frederic on his birthday. But I have changed my mind about giving him a present."
"It's too valuable a gift for me to wear, Mrs. Vernon."
"Let me be the judge of that, Robert. Of course, you will be careful and not lose it."
"I'll take the best possible care of it," he answered, and then she gave it to him, and he thanked her heartily11.
That evening after supper Mrs. Cabe came to Robert and told him that a boy was downstairs and wanted to see him very much. Robert went down and found Sammy Gump, who stood there hat in hand, and with a face full of shame.
"Excuse me for troubling you, Robert Frost," said the bully12 humbly13. "But--but I wanted to thank you for saving Norah's life, and mother and father want me to thank you, too. They can't come themselves, because father's a stoker on the railway, and mother has got to stay home and take care of Norah."
"You are welcome to whatever I did, Gump," answered Robert. "I am glad I was of service."
"Did you know she was my sister?" asked Sammy curiously14.
"No, I confess I did not."
"Oh!"
"But I would have saved her anyhow," added Robert hastily.
"Honest?"
"Yes, Gump, honest."
The bully of the town looked sharply into our hero's honest eyes, and his face grew redder than ever.
"I believe you; yes, I do," he observed, in a choking voice. "Say, do you know what? I'm awfully15 sorry I pitched into you. I was a big fool to do it. You're the right sort, and you'll never find me standing16 in your way again."
"I am glad to hear you talk so, Gump," answered Robert.
There was an awkward pause, and then our hero put out his hand. Sammy Gump clutched it eagerly and gave it a tight squeeze. From that instant the two boys were firm friends.
Nor was this all. Robert's generous action set Sammy Gump to thinking how mean and overbearing he had been, and the bully ended up by giving up all his overbearing manners, and treating everybody as he himself wished to be treated. He soon made a score of friends, and was as well liked as anybody in the town.
Two days later Robert and Mrs. Vernon set out for Oxford. The journey was a delightful17 one, and nightfall found them located at one of the principal hotels.
On the day following they went shopping, and Mrs. Vernon insisted upon having her young secretary measured for two business suits, a traveling suit, and also a dress suit, and likewise bought him a generous supply of other things to wear.
"As my private secretary, you must dress well," she said. "And I owe it to you to foot the bills myself."
"My old friends will hardly know me when they see me," said Robert, as he surveyed himself in one of his new suits. "I wonder what your nephew would say if he heard of this."
To this Mrs. Vernon did not reply, and quickly changed the subject. Little did they dream that Frederic Vernon was already on his way to see them.
Two more days were spent in Oxford, and Robert visited many places of interest, including several famous colleges, the cathedral, and the great library. Then Mrs. Vernon and our hero returned to Chishing.
"I am feeling ever so much better," she declared. "I believe the excitement of the fire and the traveling to Oxford helped me."
"I am glad of it," answered Robert. "But to have a fire to help a sick person is rather costly medicine."
At this Mrs. Vernon laughed outright18. "Quite true, Robert, and I want no more fires. But we can travel. How would you like to go to Paris?"
"I will go anywhere you say, Mrs. Vernon."
"Paris is one of the most beautiful cities in the whole world. Perhaps we will go there before long."
"I am afraid my knowledge of French is rather limited," said our hero, with a faint smile.
"That will not matter much, since we can stop at an English hotel. I can speak French fluently."
"Have you any idea how long you will remain in Europe?"
"No, Robert. It will depend somewhat upon what Frederic does."
"It is queer that you do not get some word back from Mr. Farley."
"We may get a letter to-day."
Mrs. Vernon was right,--a letter came in the evening mail. In this the lawyer stated that he had investigated the charges brought against the Great Lakes Lumber19 Company, and found them to be utterly20 without foundation.
Mrs. Vernon grew very sober when she read the communication.
"What do you think of this?" she asked, after letting Robert read the letter.
"It is as I thought," answered the young secretary. "It was a ruse21 to get you back to the United States."
"Do you know what I feel like doing? I feel like writing to Mr. Farley to tell Frederic that he may expect no more remittances22 from me."
"If you cut him off entirely23 what will he do?"
"He will have to do as thousands of others do, go to work for a living."
"Does he know anything--I mean anything special?"
"He is an expert bookkeeper, and could get a position at that, if he would only apply himself."
On the day following Mrs. Vernon had some special business to be transacted24 in London, and sent Robert down to the metropolis25 to attend to it.
It was a fine day, and, left to herself, the lady prepared to go out for a short walk when a visitor was announced.
She went down to the parlor26 to see who it was, and was nearly struck dumb to behold27 Frederic Vernon.
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1
conflagration
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| n.建筑物或森林大火 | |
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2
procured
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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3
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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4
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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5
outfits
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| n.全套装备( outfit的名词复数 )；一套服装；集体；组织v.装备，配置设备，供给服装( outfit的第三人称单数 ) | |
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6
Oxford
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| n.牛津（英国城市） | |
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7
celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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8
shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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9
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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10
costly
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| adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的 | |
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heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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12
bully
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| n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮 | |
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13
humbly
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| adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地 | |
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14
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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15
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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16
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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17
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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18
outright
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| adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的 | |
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19
lumber
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| n.木材，木料；v.以破旧东西堆满；伐木；笨重移动 | |
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20
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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21
ruse
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| n.诡计，计策；诡计 | |
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22
remittances
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| n.汇寄( remittance的名词复数 )；汇款，汇款额 | |
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23
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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24
transacted
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| v.办理（业务等）( transact的过去式和过去分词 )；交易，谈判 | |
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25
metropolis
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| n.首府；大城市 | |
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26
parlor
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| n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅 | |
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27
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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